Chapter 8

We waited. We had absolutely no reason but every one of us was tensed for action. Only Derek had thought it through. We had no way of knowing who Miller expected. What better than to use a car associated with him, to mount an op against him. I understood what Derek had been trying to explain to me. Even if it turned out to be the car Jean used, it didn't mean it was Jean driving it. I had been looking through the IWS. When I thought of it, I couldn't be sure it was Jean. All I could really say was that it was a woman about the same build as her. Hell, it could even be a small bloke in a wig and skirt. Suddenly, I didn't mind the birdsong as much.

"Hello, ES21A and ES41A this is Zero, target has confirmed all correct, over."

"ES21A, roger, out."

"ES41A, roger, out."

"Zero, from the boss, good thinking, out."

Derek wasn't a happy bunny. "Yeah, good thinking 'cos everything is O.K. but we should have known earlier. I should have thought of it earlier 'n'all."

"Aye, but you're the one that did think of it, and you did something about, too," said Nobby.

Derek and I moved back to the rear area. "I get what you mean boss," I conceded. "All I saw was a green picture of her back. It might not be her after all."

"Exactly, doctor. Now get some kip, it's gonna be a long couple of days. You're gonna need to stay alert."

I got into my slug and lay there. I couldn't sleep. Although I felt a bit more relaxed about things there was a doubt chafing away at the back of my mind. I wanted to believe that it wasn't Jean, but I was sure it was a woman by the way she moved.

Jean was massaging my foot. As I watched I realised it wasn't mine. The leg was like a fat pink grub. She lifted the ankle and brought the foot to her lips. I sat up yelling "NOOOOOO!", and I felt a hand clamp over my mouth.

"Shut the fuck up, you clampett!"

I looked up and saw Derek looking pretty pissed off. "Sorry," I mumbled through his palm. Then, more clearly, "I must have been dreaming," as he took his hand away.

"Tea."

"Ta."

"No, dickhead. You make it."

"Oh. Sorry."

As I got the brew on I realised that Derek had woken me by shaking my foot. We were told not to shake anyone by the shoulder as some guys, especially the ones who had seen a lot of fighting, would start swinging as they woke. Nowadays it's recognised as a symptom of stress disorder. My reaction was pretty similar. I realised I must have been dreaming about Jean being with somebody else. That's why I woke up screaming. Derek went moved up to check on Nobby and the Kid. I made the tea and brought it forward. It was a beautiful spring day. The sun was bright and cheering, and our position was nicely camouflaged by the trees and gorse. It wasn't exactly warm but it was comfortable. We had struck lucky. The Mourne country could be drear and dreekit a lot of the time. Today the mountains were in their glory. I passed round the tea.